[ 492 ] 
There is conftderable Difficulty in firing Ele&rics 
per fe, ffich as Turpentine and Balfam Capivi , by the 
repulfive Power of Electricity 3 becaufe, in this Cafe, 
thefe Subftances will not permit the Electricity to 
pafs through them : Therefore, when you would have 
this Experiment fucceed, the Finger of the Perfon 
who is to fire them, is to be applied as near to 
the Edge as poffible of thefe Subftances when warmed 
in a Spoon, that the Flafhes from the Spoon (for 
thefe Subftances will emit none) may fnap, where 
they are fpread the thinneft, and then fire their Ef- 
fluvia. This Experiment, as well as feveral others, 
ferves to confute that Opinion, which has prevailed 
with many, that the Electricity floats only upon the 
Surfaces of Bodies. 
If an electrical Cake is dipp’d in Water, ir is 
thereby made a Conductor of Electricity j the Water 
hanging about it tranfmitting the electrical Effluvia 
in fuch a manner, that a Perfon Handing thereon 
can by no means be electrified enough to attract the 
Leaf Gold at the fmallcft Diftance ; though the Per- 
fon Handing upon the fame Cake when dry, attracted 
a Piece of fine Thread hanging at the Diftance of 
two Feet from his Finuer. We muft here obferve, 
that the Cake being of an unctuous Subftance, the 
Water will no-wheie lie uniformly thereon, but ad- 
here in feparate Molecule ,• fo that, in this Inftance, 
the Electricity jumps from one Particle of Water to 
another, till the Whole is diffipated. 
From the Appearance of the Threads, amongft 
which I rub the Tube, I can frequently judge, though 
the Spirit may be many Feet diftant from them, 
whether or no it will fire 5 becaufe, when the Per- 
-• foils 
